Regular readers of the site know I do a lot of beating up on Fox News, because they're a travesty—but of course the problem far from ends there. My father sent along an excellent write-up in the L.A. Times that begins to touch upon the actual problems in the recent CNN YouTube debate: not that they let Democrats speak (though they shouldn't have, at least not so much), but rather that in every case, in both YouTube debates, the network inevitably selected in favor of the moronic, the trivial, and the salacious. The YouTube gimmick, in other words, has functioned entirely as a smokescreen for the network to advance its own interests of ratings, scandal, titilation, and profits, and has not been in any sense an attempt to give honest voice to the questions of everyday people.
Of course this is always the corporate media's agenda, in every debate and in everything they do—but the YouTube format has given them an excuse to be so much worse.
Even on those rare occasions when a question has actually been of substance, it was inevitably phrased in the least substantive possible way, with the central consideration always the question's attention-grabbing qualities. And make no mistake, questions of substance were hopelessly rare in both debates; far more commonplace have been "gotcha" questions, questions in the form of exhibitionist confession, questions paired with their exact opposites in the hopes of creating contradiction or scandal, and questions addressed specifically to marginal and fringe candidates for no other reason than to give them a chance to bash the frontrunners from the left, right, and center. I know all this because I combed through the Democratic YouTube debate transcript crafting an email response to a certain beloved family member's delightful missives about the "Clinton News Network"; behold a quick rundown of the foolishness:
My question is for Dennis Kucinich...What a waste.
Mrs. Clinton, how would you define the word "liberal?" And would you use this word to describe yourself?
If you had to pick any Republican member of Congress or Republican governor to be your running mate, who would it be?
The first one is from Senator Chris Dodd. Senator, I have to ask, what's with the white hair?
...But is African-Americans ever going to get reparations for slavery?
How do we pull out (of Iraq) now? ...Do you leave a newborn baby to fend for itself?
How many more soldiers must die while these political games continue in our government?
My question is for Mike Gravel...
I was wondering if the candidates feel women should register for the draft when they turn 18. Why or why not?
Who was your favorite teacher and why?
I've been growing concerned that global warming, the single most important issue to the snowmen of this country, is being neglected. (Asked by a snowman. And, worst of all, Kucinich is the only one to have to answer it!)
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